Assam Congress to contest all 40 seats in Bodoland polls, rules out alliance
Guwahati: The Assam Congress said on Sunday that it will contest all 40 seats in the upcoming Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections, scheduled for September, opting to go solo and ruling out any pre-poll alliances.
The declaration was made by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary and Assam in-charge Prithviraj Sathe during a workshop held in Kokrajhar.
Addressing the media, Sathe said the Congress is fully prepared to fight the BTC elections independently, positioning itself as the alternative to the current administration.
“We believe the people of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) are yearning for change, and Congress is ready to offer that option,” he said, adding that the party is focused on strengthening its organisational presence across the region.
Sathe also criticised the ruling BTC government led by the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) in alliance with the BJP, claiming a growing sense of public dissatisfaction.
The training camp in Kokrajhar, attended by party representatives from all 40 BTC constituencies, aimed at boosting digital engagement.
The session focused on equipping grassroots workers with social media and IT skills to improve voter outreach.
The BTC, an autonomous council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, governs the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), an area carved out through the 2003 peace accord with the now-disbanded Bodo Liberation Tigers Force (BLTF).
The council comprises 40 elected members and six nominated ones, and currently functions under the leadership of Chief Executive Member Pramod Boro.
Situated in one of India’s least developed regions, the BTR has an economy heavily reliant on agriculture, with limited avenues for industrial or alternative employment.